How Politicians plan to spend Valentine’s day ; Lokodo 'unhappy'

Valentine’s day is again upon us, the day when most citizenry move up and about the city streets in red and white, black and white, and the day when flowers receive shocking commercial attention.

It is the day when lovers get reason to smear their relationship all over the place, singles get better reason to concentrate on other things and those with multiple partners find excuses not to be available.

This year’s Valentine’s day coincides with Ash Wednesday, a very respected event in the Christianity Liturgical Calendar, which brings an interesting aspect in how Ugandans will celebrate the ‘two days’ at once.

Meanwhile Sabiti Joseph gathered views from a section of Politicians regarding their plans on Valentine’s day/ Ash Wednesday;

Fr Simon Lokodo, State Minister for Ethics and Integrity

First of all I don’t believe in valentine, secondly I condemn it because it promotes a spirit not genuine of us who fear God. In any case the day falls on Ash Wednesday and Ash Wednesday for us is the beginning of lent, when we remember that we are frail, we are weak and to dust we shall return that’s the moment we should fast.

Fasting means denying ourselves of any pleasure be it a drink, be it food or any other entertainment so valentine’s day is unfortunately not to be celebrated

Barnabas Tinkasimire, MP Buyaga West County

I agreed with my wife to celebrate valentine’s day on the eve, so I left parliament early to go and join her for dinner. Today is Ash Wednesday and we start our lent season and we cannot join the two that’s why we shifted it to the day before but I enjoyed the red and gave my wife gifts

Margaret Muhanga, MP Buryaha County

I will spend valentines with my family especially my spouse, we go out have dinner and that’s it. It’ s quite an imported culture but what can we do even the suit you are wearing is an imported culture so we just embrace it and move on.

Actually for us buying flowers has been a tradition, we always buy flowers for each other, valentine is a must but we always buy on ordinary days, holidays and birthdays

Col Felix Kulayigye, UPDF MP

I think valentine’s day is for the absentees, for the on offs, love is a daily menu the details are the ones you change but you wait for 14^th February and that’s when you want show your spouse love? I think it is off.

It’s those who don’t know how to love who need to be reminded, for me its part of my way of living why do you want to wait for such a day to love others?

Secondly I’m not so sure of the origin of this word valentine, I know there was a saint or something like that but as far as I am concerned a human being should love the other everyday.

Odonga Otto, Aruu County MP

My daughter was born on valentine’s day and she is now in p6 at Agha khan, she is called Valerie favor. For us its more of a birthday celebration so my date will be my daughter and every valentine’s day we have a birthday celebration.

About ash Wednesday I will follow the contemporary view. I will not follow the traditional religious view on Ash Wednesday so I will concentrate more on my daughter’s birthday celebration and I will observe the catholic rules of not eating meat on that day so it’s a family moment but more for my daughter than my wife.